food for thought: December 2014

Chocolate Rum Balls

Besides plum cakes, and cookies and wine, rum balls are also a popular snack during Christmas. There are many, many different varieties of rum balls - but most rum ball recipes include two ingredients; chocolate and rum. This Christmas I had an eager learner (my daughter-in-law) with whom I enjoyed preparing this Chocolate Rum Balls.

Ingredients:

Sponge cake, 300 gm
150 gm dark chocolate
3 tbsp cream (Amul)
1 tbsp butter
3 tbsp rum
Crushed almonds for coating
Finely chopped cashewnuts

Method:

1. Crumble the sponge cake in a bowl, and keep aside.
2. Melt cream and broken dark chocolate in a pan, on medium flame.

3. Put the butter into the melted chocolate and stir, put off the gas.
4. Remove the chocolate ganache and pour this over the crumbled sponge cake.

5. Add the rum and chopped cashews to this and gently combine all into a soft dough.

6. Divide the dough into small balls.

7. Coat the balls with powdered almonds.

8. Refrigerate this for 20 to 30 minutes to make the balls firmer.

Spinach-coated Potatoes (Aloo Palak)

Nutritious side-dish from Punjab. It is a very subtle-flavored accompaniment to go with hot parathas, phulkas, or naan.

Ingredients:

potatoes, 250 gm boiled and cubed
spinach, 1 big bunch, chopped
green chillies, chopped
finely chopped garlic, 1 tbsp
finely chopped ginger, 1 tbsp
turmeric, 1/2 tsp
coriander powder, 1 tsp
salt to taste
oil, 1 tbsp
slit green chillies, and cumin seeds for seasoning

Method:

1. Heat oil, add cumin seeds and allow to splutter.
2. Add the chopped garlic, ginger, green chillies and saute for a minute.
3. Put in the potatoes, turmeric, coriander powder and saute for few minutes.
4. Toss in the spinach, add salt and cook on medium flame, stirring occasionally.
5. Fry the slit green chillies in little oil and pour this over the potatoes.
6. Remove and serve hot.

Phulkas (Rotis/Chappatis)

A very common Indian bread that originated in Gujarat and Maharashtra somewhat similar to the parathas of the North. Phulkas are made from whole wheat flour and are softer. The cooking technique is to let the rolled out dough to puff up on direct flame (as the name suggests). Phulkas or rotis are now adapted by other regions as well and is prepared in almost all Indian households.

Ingredients

2 cups wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
water to bind the dough
ghee (optional)

Method:

1. In a wide bowl, combine wheat flour and salt.
2. Add water little by little and prepare a soft dough.

3. Knead the dough well by applying pressure with the heel of your hands. Knead for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep the dough covered for at least 10 minutes.
4. Knead again and divide dough into equal, lemon-sized balls.
5. With the help of a rolling pin, roll out each ball into thin disks. Keep the balls covered to prevent drying up.

6. Heat a tava, place a rolled out dough on it.

7. Turn over when small air pockets starts forming.
8. Wait until air pockets appear on the other side too.
9. Now lift it off the tava with the help of a tong and cook it directly on the flame.